Washboard.



J. F. WOOD.

WASHBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1907.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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m: NORRIS PEYERS cc., WASHINGTON, n. c.

J. P. WOOD. WASHBOARD. APPLICATION FILED NOV.19, 1907.v

Patented Nov. 10,1908.

2 SHEETS SHBET 2.

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JAMES F. WOOD, OF ATHENS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JOHN G. HEWITT.

WASHB CARD Application filed November 19, 1907.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Serial No. 402,858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. Wooo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Athens, in the county of Athens and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in Washboards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in that type of device designed to render the manual operation of washing clothes more easily accomplished and the object of the invention is an improved washboard which is designed to be used also as a clothes pounder.

WVith this and other objects in View as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain con: structions and arrangements of parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved wash board. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line 83 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4t is a perspective view of the front plate. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the back plate showing the interior thereof. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the extended longitudinal partition embodied in the modification hereinafter fully described. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the modified form showing the extended portion of the partition in position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

My invention comprises a hollow washboard lconsisting of spaced front and back plates 2 and 3 and inclosing sides 4: and 5 formed at the edges of the front and back plates respectively. The upper ends of the plates 2 and 3 are bent or curved as indicated at 6 and 6 respectively, and the curved end 6 of the front plate 2 fits in the corresponding end 6 of the back plate, while the sides 4: of the front plate fit between the sides 5 of the back plate, and are soldered or otherwise secured thereto, to complete the main structure of the washboard. The in terlocking curved portions 6 and 6 of the front and back plates constitute a sleeve 7 designed to accommodate a rod 8, the ends of which protrude from said sleeve and are adapted for use as operating handles 9. The rubbing surface is formed by a corrugated plate 10 rigidly secured to the washboard contiguous to the plate 2 thereof or detachably held in position by its lower end being engaged by a returned portion 11 formed on said plate 2 and by the engagement of the upper end of the plate 10 with tie curved end 6 of the back plate. This rubbing surface may be detached from the device when desired, by being slipped upwardly beneath the curved portion 6 so as to disengage the lower end of the rubbing surface from the returned portion 11, said curved portion 6 yielding sufficiently to permit such upward movement, and by being then moved downwardly to disengage the upper end thereof from such curved portion 6.

If desired for convenience the rubbing plate 1.0 may be provided near its upper end with a soap holder 12. The edges of the sides 5 adjacent to the rubbing surface are curved outwardly as shown to prevent the possible snagging of the clothes upon any roughness or the like of said edges.

The lower end of the plate 3 is bent outwardly to form a laterally enlarged, hollow lower end which constitutes an air chamber designed to adapt the device for use as a clothes pounder. For this purpose the said end is separated from the space or main hollow portion in the washboard by an interior web 14 and is provided with a longitudinal partition 15 and transverse partitions l3 dividing such chamber into a series of air cells or compartments 16. The lower ends of the plates, sides and partitions are all rounded to prevent any injury to the clothes during the use of the pounder. One or both of the sides 4: and 5 are formed with an opening 17 which serves as an outlet to free the main hollow portion of any water working therein and which permits the said hollow portion to act as an air chamber during the process of pounding.

To use the device as a pounder it is grasped by the handle 9 and manipulated thereby to alternately pound the enlarged end down upon the clothes and raise it therefrom. The air in the cells 16 forces the water downwardly through the clothes upon the downward movement of the device while the upward movement thereof creates a suction to draw the water upwardly through the said clothes, thus maintaining a continuous movement of the water back and forth through the clothes to remove the dirt therefrom.

From the above description in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily seen that I have provided a simple, durable and eflicient construction of washboard which may be easily and cheaply manufactured and which is adapted for use as a clothes pounder.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, it will be seen that the washboard is constructed of the front portion 2, the back portion 3 and a middle portion interposed between the front and back portions, the parts being soldered or otherwise suitably secured together. The middle portion embodies the web 14, the transverse partitions 18 and the longitudinal partition 15 the latter being extended upwardly into the hollow portion of the washboard, as indicated at 18. In this case, one face of the extended portion 18 bears against the back plate 3,

the other face of said extended portion being provided with braces 19 which abut against the front plate 2, thereby preventing any lateral movement of the said extended partition and strengthening the device as a whole.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. The herein-described washboard combeing curved and having an interlocking connection to form a sleeve, and a rod mounted in said sleeve and having its ends protruding therefrom, the washboard'being provided at its lower end with an air chant ber, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The herein-described washboard, having a sleeve formed at one end thereof, and a rod mounted in said sleeve and havingits ends protruding therefrom, the washboard being also provided at its other end with an air chamber having partitions secured therein and dividing it into a series of air cells,

as andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature .in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES F. WOOD. I a 5.

lVitnesses RICHARD M. MONROE, B. F. Sworn. 

